Itâ€™s far too new looking at the moment. Whatever patina that will be applied will have to be a paint-type finish. Ideally, real rust would be preferable, but that would mean sandblasting the current paint off. This thought scares the me severely, since I know how assertively compressed air can push abrasive material into places it shouldnâ€™t be, especially on a working engine.

Although, the thought just hit me. A careful use of power wire brushing, then a â€œsplotchyâ€œ topcoat of a period appropriate color, followed by a careful application of a rust-inducing chemical finish on the bare spots could yield a nice result.

I was examining the finish on the antique engine today and pondering on how to duplicate it. Iâ€™ll look in more detail tomorrow.

Comment over at the bar re lights. Why not a ring of non-converted Dietz Hurricane lanterns running K-1 around the periphery - They'd match the thematic of the contraption, and you could even get the cheaper black ones, strip the paint and induce... um... "patina".

Faux finishes aren't hard, depends on what result is desired... I like the old wash of ultra-thinned black lacquer over artificially rusted steel - looks rough, tumble, and gritty. Doing the deep "sandy" rust can be tricky (that's like 100 years of ma nature's handiwork) but soomeone once said dusty sand in the right color base paint looks good from a few feet.

I did some exploratory wire brushing today and I think that should do well to expose much of the iron casting. The silver paint that itâ€™s coated with is only one layer without a primer so it comes off pretty easily. The castings are very well done, but they are still sand cast components and so have a nice texture to them already. Because of that I donâ€™t think much in the way of an added texture will be needed.

My current thought is to wire brush much of the silver paint off, splotchily top coat with a nice dark farm implement red, wire brush again, then go over that with a chemical-based patina that will raise rust on any exposed iron-bearing surface. The final step, after the rust has come on well enough is to wash over most of it with a thinned black lacquer and oil it. Iâ€™ll do some tests this weekend and see what I can come up with.

Fc, Iâ€™m gong to be in your neighborhood tomorrow. Will you be around your shop?

Bay Bridge Sue wrote:Comment over at the bar re lights. Why not a ring of non-converted Dietz Hurricane lanterns running K-1 around the periphery -

I keep going back and forth with that option. Iâ€™d think that they should be anchored in some fashion to keep them from swinging around to much, but that shouldnâ€™t be much of a problem. And adding real flame lighting to counter the LEDâ€™s would be very nice, I think.

The biggest problem Iâ€™ve got at the moment is not being able to have the whole machine sitting outside where I can really look at it and try things out. March is just around the corner, though so it wonâ€™t be much longer â€˜til I can roll her out in the yard.

Elliot wrote::D Low rider car guys have been known to bolt a block of magnesium (I believe) under the car and scrape it on the ground.

NOOO!!! magnesium will catch fire, and you can't put it out. I use Titianium drag blocks on my mini truck. They make a huge amount of bright white sparks. (but thats dragging them on the street while driving) I get them from ebay. usually about $50 for (2) 2x3x3" blocks.

Oh damn, youâ€™re right bounce! I knew this and didnâ€™t catch it either.

Iâ€™m reminded of a time back in tech school when a pile of magnesium chips caught on fire. One guy decided heâ€™d try and put it out with a water hose. Fortunately the instructor caught him before he made it and grabbed a broom to franticly sweep the water away.

Heh Heh...

The last thing we want is a burning flywheel breaking free and zooming off uncontrollably into the night.

ETA: Great video example, by the way. I've got to play around with this to see what kind of Moop it might leave. This could be a lot of fun if done correctly.

Ah, LeChat!So great to see a new Contraption thread! And I'm really thrilled to hear you both are joining us on the playa once again! You were sorely missed last year! I can hardly wait to see the Contraption once again in all its new glory!!

Don't go complicating my reality with facts.

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bigbluedoggy wrote:Ah, LeChat!So great to see a new Contraption thread! And I'm really thrilled to hear you both are joining us on the playa once again! You were sorely missed last year! I can hardly wait to see the Contraption once again in all its new glory!!

Is the Bluedawgy up from his winter nap?? Did he not see his shadow on the 2nd?? Dose this mean Phill is wrong about six more weeks of winter??

Something simple that would "light the body" with out giving that over glowwy rope light look, might be old fashioned big christmas lights just kinda strewn where they wouldn't get broken. The type would find in an old box in grandpas barn.

Also, on the back of the Contraption, maybe, two old stand up room lamps. The tall pull kind, with just a warm white light bulb on them. Or old lamp shades. They'd be tall, and bright.

Why don't ya stick your head in that hole and find out? ~pieholePlan for the worst, expect the best. Make the most out of it under any conditions. If you cannot do that you will never enjoy yourself. ~CrispyDave

bigbluedoggy wrote:Ah, LeChat!So great to see a new Contraption thread! And I'm really thrilled to hear you both are joining us on the playa once again! You were sorely missed last year! I can hardly wait to see the Contraption once again in all its new glory!!

Is the Bluedawgy up from his winter nap?? Did he not see his shadow on the 2nd?? Dose this mean Phill is wrong about six more weeks of winter??

Just been super busy in Defaultia. It's that time of year. I'll try to stay awake more often as we get closer to August

Don't go complicating my reality with facts.

Destiny Lounge Returns for 2015! Are you ready for... The Vortex of Destiny?!?!

I wonder if you could just use two regular camping-style lanterns with some sort of big parabolic reflectors up front. (Two old woks maybe??)
Maybe if you think they need it you could modify them for appearance to your liking.

GreyCoyote: "At this rate it wont be long before he is Admiral Fukkit."

Captain Goddammit wrote:I wonder if you could just use two regular camping-style lanterns with some sort of big parabolic reflectors up front. (Two old woks maybe??)Maybe if you think they need it you could modify them for appearance to your liking.

Or convert the lantern to propane and find a reflecter in kitchen ware.. A stainess steel wash basen/mixing bowel comes to mind..

Iâ€™ve got a plan to form the larger reflectors (MWHAAA HAAA). I suspect they will be primarily for looks since the optics that oscillator showed earlier seem to do fine on their own. This, however will not stop me to dressing it up nicely.

AntiM wrote:The old railroad lanterns with marbles for lenses. If you could find them.

The railroad lanterns are getting hard to find and when you do , theyâ€™re expensive. I love the look of them, but Iâ€™ll have to actually make the headlights, Iâ€™m thinking. I'll certainly be taking cues from the older, beautiful designs. Should be a fun exercise.

I do have a request. I'm pretty sure I'll have to locate a second taillight for 2010. Currently, there's an old Dietz road hazard lamp (now with an LED in it) for a single tail light in the middle. Pretty sure Iâ€™ll have to have two this year, one on each side, and I'd like to find a matching lamp to this one:

I know where another one is but cannot justify $50 for it. The current lamp I paid $8 for at junk sale. Iâ€™m wanting one that is in equally poor shape (even if no longer usable as a fuel burning lamp) and equally affordable. As long as itâ€™s sort of holding together and the round red lens is intact, it'll work. If any of you fine folk run across one somewhere like a local flea market or whatever, please let me know.